Chao v. Cudmore

The opinion of the court was delivered by: Richard Mills United States District Judge

ORDER TO PURGE

DEFENDANT-RESPONDENT FROM CIVIL CONTEMPT

KEVIN VON BEHREN, an Individual, Judge Mills

Plaintiff-Petitioner, ELAINE L. CHAO, Secretary of Labor, United States Department of Labor, having filed her petition and defendant-respondent, KEVIN VON BEHREN, hereby appearing, and having been duly advised in the premises, now therefore, upon petition of attorneys for the plaintiff-petitioner, and for cause shown, the Court makes the following findings:

1. In a judgment dated November 12, 2003, this Court enjoined defendant-respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN from withholding payment of the sum of $34,423.25, which represents the unpaid minimum wage and overtime compensation found to be due to defendant-respondent's employees listed in Exhibit A of the Judgment, and ordered defendant-respondent to deliver to plaintiff-petitioner a certified check for $34,423.25, made payable to "Wage and Hour Div., Labor", less legal deductions for employees' share of social security and withholding taxes, and a schedule showing the name, last-known address, social security number, amount deducted for social security, amount deducted for Federal income tax, amount deducted for State income tax, and the net amount of such payment for each person enumerated in Exhibit A.

2. In addition to the foregoing, this Court's November 12, 2003, Judgment enjoined defendant-respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN from withholding the amount of $745.84 in pre-judgment interest and ordered defendant-respondent to deliver to plaintiff-petitioner a separate certified check for $745.84, made payable to "Wage and Hour Div., Labor".

3. This Court's November 12, 2003, Judgment further ordered that plaintiff recover post-judgment interest pursuant to 28 U.S.C. section 1961 from the date of entry of said Judgment until all sums are paid; therefore, post-judgment interest shall accrue on and be paid by defendant-respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN as shown in Exhibit A.

4. On or about January 28, 2005, plaintiff received from defendant-respondent's bankruptcy estate the amount of $8,574.42, in partial satisfaction of the back wages due, thereby reducing the amount of unpaid back wages and pre-judgment interest to $26,594.67.

5. Plaintiff-Petitioner has not received the sum of $26,594.67 of the minimum wage and overtime compensation and pre-judgment interest from defendant-respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN by tendering the required check, nor has plaintiff-petitioner received the schedule due under this Court's November 12, 2003, Judgment.

6. Defendant-Respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN appeared before this Court on August 21, 2006, and failed to show cause why he should not be held in civil contempt for failing to comply with this Court's November 12, 2003, Judgment, which requires the payment of the remaining amount of $26,594.67 by tendering two checks, along with a schedule, to the plaintiff-petitioner.

7. Defendant-Respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN has violated this Court's injunction by continuing to withhold the sum of $26,594.67 in unpaid minimum wage and overtime compensation and pre-judgment interest by tendering separate checks, along with a schedule to the plaintiff-petitioner, and is therefore in civil contempt of this Court.

8. Defendant-Respondent KEVIN VON BEHREN is hereby directed to purge himself of contempt and to satisfy the November 12, 2003, Judgment by paying to plaintiff-petitioner the sum of $26,594.67, plus post-judgment interest, in accordance with the payment schedule set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part hereof:

9. Defendant-Respondent shall tender to the plaintiff-petitioner checks for each of the installments identified in Exhibit A by certified check made payable to "Wage and Hour Div., Labor", and shall further tender with the initial payment (October 29, 2006), a schedule in duplicate showing the name, last-known address, and social security number for each employee named in the attached Exhibit A.

10. Plaintiff-Petitioner shall distribute the proceeds of the checks referred to in paragraph 9 hereof to the persons enumerated in Exhibit A hereof, or to their estates if that be necessary, and any amounts of unpaid minimum wage and overtime compensation or interest not so paid because of inability to locate the proper persons or because of their refusal to accept it, shall be deposited with the Clerk of this Court, ...

Our website includes the first part of the main text of the court's opinion.
To read the entire case, you must purchase the decision for download. With purchase,
you also receive any available docket numbers, case citations or footnotes, dissents
and concurrences that accompany the decision.
Docket numbers and/or citations allow you to research a case further or to use a case in a
legal proceeding. Footnotes (if any) include details of the court's decision. If the document contains a simple affirmation or denial without discussion,
there may not be additional text.

Buy This Entire Record For
$7.95

Download the entire decision to receive the complete text, official citation,
docket number, dissents and concurrences, and footnotes for this case.